News

Faroese Saithe Wins MSC Certificate

FAROE ISLANDS - The Faroe Islands saithe fishery has been MSC certified as a sustainable and well-managed fishery. The certification follows an 18 month assessment of the fishery by independent certifier, Det Norske Veritas (DNV).

Two companies, catching 50 per cent of Faroese saithe between them, came together to enter the fishery into the MSC programme. P/F JFK and P/F Faroe Origin have a long history of fishing in Faroese waters with P/F JFK fishing operations dating back over a hundred years.

The saithe fishery includes 24 boats from the two companies, using demersal trawls, long lines and jiggers to catch saithe on the Faroe plateau and Faroe Bank. The saithe is processed on land and sold to markets across Europe.

Jógvan Hansen, Sales Director at JFK said: "Fishing sustainably continues to be a key concern for us as a responsible company. It is also a growing concern for our customers. I am therefore very pleased to be able to receive this documentation on the sustainability of the Faroese Saithe Fishery, where the fishery has been certified as sustainable under the MSC Standard, an internationally renowned and respected Standard. It is an especially important achievement, as this is the first time that a fishery under the Faroese fishing day regime has been certified to this high standard."

Gisli Gislason, MSC Senior Fisheries Outreach Manager welcomed the certification, saying: “I would like to congratulate the Faroese saithe fishery on their certification. P/F JFK and P/F Faroe Origin have shown their commitment to sustainable fishing by entering and completing the detailed MSC assessment. I am looking forward to working with them to promote their certified sustainable saithe which I am sure will be particularly popular in the foodservice sector.”